Best bowler in the World Cup 2023 includes some of the top names who will showcase their bowling skills in India. These bowlers have already made their mark and will want to do it on the biggest stage.
Who are they?
Best Bowler in the World Cup 2023
Throughout the Cricket World Cup history, several outstanding bowlers have left their mark on the tournament. These include iconic names like Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Allan Donaldo, etc. The current generation, too, has some world-class bowlers who will be vying against each other for the biggest prize in international cricket.
Here’s a list of five fast bowlers to keep an eye on in the World Cup 2023:
- Mitchell Starc
- Trent Boult
- Kagiso Rabada
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
Let us look at five pacers in detail:
Mitchell Starc
Starc is one of the finest left-arm pacers of his generation. The Aussie has great pace and accuracy, making life uneasy for batters in the powerplay. He has an excellent record in the World Cup, with over 50 wickets to his name. With Starc eyeing McGrath’s best bowler in the World Cup all-time record, he is undoubtedly the best bowler in the World Cup 2023, and cricket fans will be excited to see him in action in India.
Trent Boult
No bowler is as dangerous as Trent Boult with the new ball in his hands. Batters in IPL were in the firing line in the 2023 edition, as the Kiwi pacer sent them back to the pavilion with some scintillating bowling. The left-arm fast bowler, who has a hat-trick in the ODI World Cup, will be New Zealand’s trump card and familiarity with Indian conditions makes him at the tippy top of the best bowler in the World Cup 2023 list.
Kagiso Rabada
The Proteas pacer torments batters consistently. Kagiso Rabada, who took a six-wicket haul on his ODI debut, will spearhead the South Africa bowling attack in the World Cup 2023. Rabada’s strength is the ability to bowl economically, create pressure, and pick up wickets. Another plus for the pacer is that he knows the Indian conditions thanks to his IPL stints with Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings.
Jasprit Bumrah
The 29-year-old is one of the finest cricketers of his generation. Jasprit Bumrah has an unorthodox action, but his accuracy and natural pace make it difficult for the batters to read him. The yorker is one of his biggest weapons, which he unleashes in death overs and helping the team control the run flow. It is Bumrah’s second ODI World Cup, and his presence greatly boosts India’s semi-final hopes.
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan has produced some great bowlers over the years, and Shaheen Afridi is the latest in line. His great assets are pace and ability to swing the ball. Opening batters find it tough against the 23-year-old when he is on song. Rohit Sharma has struggled against him in the past, and Afridi can help control the scoring rate in the death overs with accurate bowling.
Also Read: What is Dot Ball in Cricket?
Concluding Thoughts
In the white-ball format, a fast bowler is not judged by wickets alone but by the ability to bowl economically. The five bowlers mentioned above are prolific wicket-takers and don’t allow batters to dictate terms to them.
FAQs about Best Bowler in the World Cup
Mitchell Starc is the best bowler in the World Cup 2023 in the fast bowling department. However, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi are also players to watch out for.
With 71 wickets, Glenn McGrath is the all-time great in World Cup history.
Mitchell Starc has 55 wickets in just 22 ODI World Cup matches.
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